The vigil started on Peace Officer's Memorial Day, which also coincides
with National Police Week. A 21-gun salute and formal retreat ceremony
signaled the beginning of the event.

During the event, designated runners ran 30-minute shifts and carried a
baton, which contained a list commemorating the 286 law enforcement
officers who lost their lives during the last year.

At the end of each runner's shift, the baton was relayed to the next
runner or team. The rotation continued for 24-hours until the run was
completed.

"I chose to participate in the run this year to honor our civilian
brothers and sisters in law enforcement," said Chief Master Sgt. Paul
Pohnert, 799th Air Base Squadron superintendent. "They put their lives
on the line every day and play a vital role in the
security of our base and personnel."

"I felt a sense of pride that pushed me along during the run...once I
was done, it felt good to be able to contribute, if only for 30 minutes,
to this great cause," Pohnert said after completing his first vigil
run.

"It really wasn't hard to organize. The entire base volunteered pretty
quickly once the word went out," Dees said about his first time
organizing a run. "We weren't looking for people to run as fast as
possible; we wanted people who truly wanted to be out there supporting
the cause."

Dees ran his own shift at 2:30 a.m. but also helped other runners who
just needed a break. All together, the runners covered 227 miles during
the run.

"It was a fun environment being out there and seeing the camaraderie
between everyone," said Dees who was there for the entire 24 hours. "At
the end of the day, when retreat played and the commander crossed the
line for the last time, it was just a good feeling."